Don’t make a moodboard.
When a new idea springs to life, the inclination can be to create more steps between having the idea and making the thing. Journaling about it, making moodboards, explaining the idea to a few close friends and gathering feedback; these things are good but they’re not making the thing. They’re thinking about making the thing, considering how to make the thing, envisioning what the thing could be; but they aren't an act of creation.
Every act that stands between you and the actual creation of your idea is one more chance to never finish. And research bears this out- telling a friend an idea can actually create a premature sense of completeness that diminishes your likelihood of ever finishing.
There’s an inherent tension between making it before someone else thinks of it, and taking the time to mold it into something unique. Creators who are adept at business often ship before it’s ready. Some creators who are masters of craft never ship at all.
I love making a moodboard. It gives me space to think, to play, to reflect. I’m also not very prolific in my creative practice- whether those things are connected is uncertain, but the underlying issue is there. I’m working to get better/faster/quicker, and this is how:
When confronted with a desire to make something new, consider the quickest path from idea to execution. If the outcome is irreversible, the only mistake is moving too fast. If the outcome is reversible, the only mistake is moving too slow.
Thanks for reading. Talk soon-
Links I Like:
Inspiring me this week: Steve Jobs in 1997 giving his iconic keynote on the role of marketing.
This month’s playlist- it’s a shorter one but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t feel like the start of summer.
If you’re sick of Carhartt, Dickies, and Ben Davis but still want the elevated workwear vibe, I’ve been loving this brand recently.